Methods and Systems for Controlling Operation of Equipment Based on Biometric Data

Abstract

Example methods and systems for controlling operation of equipment are described. An example method for pausing operation of one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of an equipment includes receiving, at a computing device having one or more processors, biometric data from a wearable biometric interface of a wearer, and based on the biometric data being outside of a range of baseline data, the computing device controlling operation of a power unit coupled to the equipment to pause movement of one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for pausing operation of one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of an equipment, wherein a power unit is coupled to the equipment for enabling movement of one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment, the method comprising:
 receiving, at a computing device having one or more processors, biometric data from a wearable biometric interface of a wearer; and   based on the biometric data being outside of a range of baseline data, the computing device controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the computing device controlling operation of the power unit comprises controlling operation of the power unit to enable or disable movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on the biometric data being outside of a range of baseline data. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the biometric data from the wearable biometric interface comprises receiving the biometric data from the wearable biometric interface via a wireless communication. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein receiving the biometric data from the wearable biometric interface comprises receiving one or more of heart rate data, blood pressure data, galvanic skin resistance data, and skin temperature data. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable biometric interface comprises a plurality of biometric sensors for sensing different biometric data of the wearer, and
 wherein controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment comprises controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on a combination of outputs of the plurality of biometric sensors being outside of the range of baseline data.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable biometric interface comprises a blood pressure sensor for detecting a blood pressure of the wearer, and
 wherein controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment comprises controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on the blood pressure of the wearer being outside of the range of baseline data.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable biometric interface comprises an electromyography (EMG) sensor for detecting activity of muscles of the wearer, and
 wherein controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment comprises controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on the activity of muscles of the wearer being outside of the range of baseline data.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable biometric interface comprises a skin resistance sensor for detecting electrical conductance of skin of the wearer that varies according to moisture level, and
 wherein controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment comprises controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on the electrical conductance of skin of the wearer being outside of the range of baseline data.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable biometric interface comprises a heart rate sensor for detecting a heart rate of the wearer, and
 wherein controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment comprises controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on the heart rate of the wearer being outside of a range of baseline data.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable biometric interface comprises a temperature sensor for detecting a temperature of skin of the wearer, and
 wherein controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment comprises controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on the temperature of skin of the wearer being outside of the range of baseline data.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable biometric interface comprises one or more environmental sensors including one or more of a carbon dioxide monitor and an oxygen monitor, and
 wherein controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment comprises controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on an output of one or more of the carbon dioxide monitor and the oxygen monitor being outside of a range of normal operating conditions.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable biometric interface comprises a temperature sensor for detecting an ambient temperature of the wearable biometric interface, and
 wherein controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment comprises controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on the ambient temperature of the wearable biometric interface being outside of a range of normal operating conditions.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable biometric interface comprises an accelerometer for outputting data indicative of x,y,z-axis movement data of the wearable biometric interface, and
 wherein controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment comprises controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on the x,y,z-axis movement data of the wearable biometric interface being above a threshold.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the wearable biometric interface comprises a plurality of biometric sensors for sensing different biometric data of the wearer and one or more environmental sensors for sensing one or more characteristics of an environment of the wearable biometric interface, and
 wherein controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment comprises controlling operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on a combination of outputs of (i) the plurality of biometric sensors being outside of the range of baseline data and (ii) the one or more environmental sensors being outside of a range of normal operating conditions.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving location information of the wearable biometric interface; and   based on the wearable biometric interface being within a predefined area, controlling operation of the power unit to perform a safeguarding action relating to the movement of the one or more components of the equipment.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 receiving location information of one or more other wireless communication devices; and   based on the one or more other wireless communications devices being within a predefined area, controlling operation of the power unit to perform a safeguarding action relating to the movement of the one or more components of the equipment.   
     
     
         17 . A system comprising:
 a wearable biometric interface for sensing biometric data of a wearer;   a power unit coupled to equipment for enabling movement of one or more components of the equipment; and   a computing device having one or more processors, the computing device in communication with the power unit, wherein the computing device receives the biometric data from the wearable biometric interface and controls operation of the power unit, based on the biometric data, for operating one or more of electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment, wherein the computing device controls operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on the biometric data being outside of a range of baseline data.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the computing device further includes data storage storing instructions executable by the one or more processors for controlling operation of the power unit for operating of the one or more electrical and hydraulic systems of the equipment based on the biometric data. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the equipment includes an airplane, and wherein the one or more components include a surface of the airplane and landing gear of the airplane. 
     
     
         20 . A system comprising:
 a wearable biometric interface having a plurality of biometric sensors for sensing different biometric data of a wearer and one or more environmental sensors for sensing one or more characteristics of an environment of the wearable biometric interface; and   a computing device, having one or more processors, being in communication with a power unit that is coupled to an equipment for enabling movement of one or more components of the equipment, wherein the computing device receives the biometric data and the one or more characteristics of the environment from the wearable biometric interface and controls operation of the power unit to pause movement of the one or more components of the equipment based on a combination of outputs of (i) the plurality of biometric sensors being outside of a range of baseline data and (ii) the one or more environmental sensors being outside of a range of normal operating conditions.